.Paak connects K-pop to Black American music in his distinctive style. Anderson .Paak has a unique connection to K-pop. Born to a Korean-born adoptee who was raised in Compton, the American musician started exploring his Korean roots as an adult, through the mother of his two sons. .Paak has collaborated with some of K-pop’s biggest stars, including RM and G-DRAGON. And in 2026 he released K-POPS!, a feature film that he directed, co-wrote, and starred in about an LA musician who travels to South Korea in the hopes of reviving his career. For the soundtrack .Paak teamed up with American producer Dem Jointz, who has strong connections to the K-pop industry, as well as a whole host of K-pop idols, including NMIXX, ATEEZ’s HONGJOONG, LNGSHOT, i-dle’s SOYEON, aespa, SEVENTEEN’s JOSHUA, and G-DRAGON. Though the K-POPS! soundtrack is chock-full of Korean A-list talent, the album belongs to .Paak, who not only sings on most of the tracks but also lends his retro sensibilities to the collection’s production, expanding the world of the film by drawing sonic connections between Black American and Korean music scenes.